


Slow to Realise

by ace_corvid



Series: Quick to Fall Verse [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: BAMF Morality | Patton Sanders, Canon Compliant, Friends to Lovers, M/M, MORE dorky boys in love, Pining Logic | Logan Sanders, The Author Regrets Everything, i love them, in the loosest sense of the term, now with added dork, the inherent homoeroticism of rivals, this is so late
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:14:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21795119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ace_corvid/pseuds/ace_corvid
Summary: “Me and Logan aren't dating!” Patton chuckles nervously, with a touch of hysteria. “Why would you think we're dating?”Virgil and Roman stare at Patton for a second like he just spoke in French, before slowly turning to Logan like, somehow, he had a reasonable explanation. Logan is currently too busy analysing years of interactions between him and Morality to answer immediately, but he manages it soon enough.“Patton and I aren't dating.” And he totally doesn't sound flustered. Nope, not at all. Smooth. Nailed that one.
Relationships: Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Series: Quick to Fall Verse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1022022
Comments: 27
Kudos: 159





	Slow to Realise

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ofwordsandroses](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ofwordsandroses/gifts).



> wow i posted quick to fall over a year and half ago, started this immediately after and it's only just done  
> it's ok, i know im the worst  
> anyway, its hERE and its bAD but now its YOUR problem and not MINE  
> the only REASON it's here is because of my very best friend amber, so this is for her. she's the best <3  
> bone app the teeth

Logan would describe his relationship with Patton as... complex.

It wasn't that they didn't get along, because although they had their spats, they _did._ However perplexing Patton's inclination to cause him frustration, Logan wouldn't hesitate to categorize him as a friend. To him, Patton wasn't the paternal figure that he was to Roman and Virgil, who had come into the fruition of existence substantially later in Thomas's development. Patton may have been first, but Logan had been a close second, and as such, friend was the most apt descriptor, end of.

That being said, Patton certainly had a habit of getting on Logan's very last nerve.

He didn't even have to do much, even merely standing there was enough to plunge Logan into a burning feeling that could only be frustration, no matter how unprompted. It was more than likely due to their polar opposite natures and inclinations as the Heart and the Mind respectively. The heart wants what the heart wants, and is so obstinately stubborn that logic and reason can sometimes get a bit heated arguing. All completely natural. A part of being competitors for Thomas's attention;

Rivals, if you will.

It was nothing but a frivolous endeavour. No matter how much logic Logan applied, Patton could always just bring up _feelings_ and sentimental drivel. Logan knew better now than to exclude emotions altogether, mainly because the last 4 times he had tried, Patton had yelled at him for 20 minutes a piece. It also didn't help that Patton is nothing if not a frustrated crier, and when Patton cries, Virgil panics, and when Virgil panics, Roman turns to murder as a solution, which is in no way optimal; not to mention Deceit and Remus cackling in the background, watching the chaos unfold. Besides, Logan _supposes_ he can see the logic of emotions being a factor he has to stop trying to quell or ignore, and if he doesn't, he isn't entirely sure Thomas isn't going to threaten him with bodily harm.

Nevertheless, here they were, quietly enjoying each others company, Logan reading a riveting Agatha Christie novel for what he thinks is the 17th time, and Patton happily scrap booking on the coffee table while the TV idly plays in the background. Some random comedy Joan had introduced Thomas to recently, he thinks. It's nice, and the company is appreciated; for now, Logan can forget that sometimes Patton makes him want to curl up in a ball and unceremoniously scream.

Suddenly, from the doorway Logan can hear bright laughter and footfalls as Virgil and Roman stumble down the stairs together giggling. They were still quite dizzy with the rush of the relationship, even though they'd been together for quite some time now. 'Remember not to fall in love with me', Virgil had said. It was honestly astounding how quite horribly Roman had failed, for the better. They were both very happy, it was obvious. Even romantic endeavours were easy for Logan to observe, he was very aware.

Not even moments after they both loudly enter the living room, they begin to quieten and exchange guilty looks. “Sorry guys!” Roman hedges, the lingering haze of laughter still dancing along his tongue. Virgil laughs sheepishly, before adding “We didn't mean to interrupt date night.”

What.

_What._

Patton, for all they disagree on, apparently shares this sentiment, as he turns a worrying shade of red before squeaking, “Interrupting _what_?”. Instead of thinking they're sneaky and 'subtly' trying to back out of the room, Roman and Virgil choose instead to just look confused and blink, as if _they're_ the ones who should be confused in this situation. How rude.

“Date night?” Roman intones. “You know how every Thursday you sit in the living room alone together doing couples time?”

“And why,” Logan, utterly confounded, asks, “would we have a date night?”

“Because you're dating?” Virgil replies slowly, as if explaining something to a 5 year old. He's going to pay for that on trivia night. But more importantly, yet again, _what_?

“Me and Logan aren't dating!” Patton chuckles nervously, with a touch of hysteria. “Why would you think we're dating?”

Virgil and Roman stare at Patton for a second like he just spoke in French, before slowly turning to Logan like, somehow, he just lost a lot of dignity and was going to yell 'pranked, bro!', because clearly that was the only reasonable explanation. Logan is currently too busy analysing years of interactions between him and Morality to answer immediately, but he manages it soon enough.

“Patton and I aren't dating.” And he totally doesn't sound flustered. Nope, not at all. Smooth. Nailed that one.

“But you spend all your time together!” Roman almost explodes, looking relatively mortified for discernable reasons. Virgil has considerably paled.

“Would you rather we third wheel you two?”

“Patton calls you sweetie like at least once an hour, even when he's mad at you, and he gets mad at you a lot!”

“I don't know if you noticed, but Patton is an _affectionate person_!”

“So those weren't lovers spats?”

Logan stares at Roman as if he is stupid, probably because Roman is indeed stupid.

Virgil saves Logan from having to dignify that with a response by so eloquently yelping “But you guys make heart eyes at each other, like, all the time!”, to which Patton makes an inhuman noise and seems to sink physics-defyingly lower into the coffee table. Logan blushes and splutters his denial, like a normal person.

“Oh my God, Virgil!” Roman gasped, and really, are the dramatics needed? He's going to take someone's eye out, flailing like that. “Our Dad's aren't married!”

“Dad's as in, _plural_?” Is all Logan manages to squawk ( _highly_ dignified, mind you), before Roman drags Virgil back up the stairs, yelping something about 'making plans'. Strange, but no stranger than Roman usually acts, if it weren't for the precursor to the scenario that has been this _entire godforsaken conversation_ , he just wanted to _read_ , god damn it-

“So,” Patton giggles, still bright red. “Those two are feeling energetic this evening!”

“That's one way of putting it.” Logan replies, melting back into the chair with their absence. Patton watches him relax curiously, and all of a sudden, Logan wonders when it became second nature to relax around Patton. They were opposites! The heart vs the mind, morality vs logic, they were fated rivals! It wasn't supposed to be like this by all accounts! And yet Logan didn't want them to change. Strange.

“Can you believe they thought we were- you know?” Patton chokes out, still with a jubilant tone of voice but his expression was embarrassed. Well that won't do.

“I gave up a long time ago on being surprised at Roman's antics.” Logan intones, with the beyond tired voice only someone who has been putting up with him for years upon years can have. Patton laughs, and that is that.

Until it isn't.

=*=*=*=

Not for lack of trying, Logan simply cannot figure out how Virgil and Roman had come to the conclusion that he and Patton were somehow romantically entangled.

Logan is an observational creature. Surely if there were any unresolved feelings between him and Patton, he most definitely would have seen it.

Clearly the scientific method is the way to go here. To perchance get a chance to see what Virgil and Roman somehow, inconceivably, mistakenly thought they saw in them. It is, however, a little too late Logan realizes that Patton is a person, not bacteria in a Petri dish, and he can notice that Logan is in fact staring directly at him.

“Hey, Lo?” Patton laughs, a little nervous. “Could you maybe stop?”

“Yes, of course.” Logan blushes down to his neck. “Apologies.”

“What are you doing Lo?” Patton asks curiously, beginning to walk over. Logan has never more awkwardly snapped a notebook shut in his life.

“Nothing!” He must be bright red. He must be blushing so hard that somewhere out there in reality, people are mistaking Thomas for a fire truck.

There is not a single hint anywhere in Patton's demeanour to say that he believes him. Logan doesn't really blame him. Even so, an easy smile sits comfortable on Patton's face and thankfully, he doesn't seem like he's going to push the issue.

Clearly Logan needs to test this hypothesis another way, but how?

“Well, I'm going back to the kitchen. I have a date with the oven!” Patton winks, practically flouncing back towards the kitchen.

Hmm. Well there's an idea.

“Actually Patton,” Logan tries not to sound more like a crazy person than he already had these past few minutes. “I think I might join you.”

Patton stops and stares at him.

That's probably fair. It's not like they don't spend time together, but they rarely do it outside of the safety of silence. Their approach to each other is often like that of startled animals; a dramatic comparison maybe, but an accurate one nonetheless. This is probably the first time an overture like this has been made. He feels slightly guilty, for some unknown reason, that it's in the pursuit of science.

Suddenly a hand is clamped to his forehead.

“Are you ill?” Patton says, outwardly concerned. Logan rolls his eyes so hard he's probably gonna get a migraine later and pushes Patton away. The deep blush from earlier threatens to return.

“I'm fine.” Logan tries to reassure him, but it must not be very calming because if anything Patton looks _more_ worried. He summons a thermometer with ease, and promptly tries to shove it into his mouth but Logan throws it across the room in a fit of frustration.

“Can I not simply want to spend time with a _friend_?” The word is clunky and uncomfortable in his mouth.

Patton does not answer, but his face paints a clear picture of exactly what he thinks the answer is.

“Why are things never easy with you?” He doesn't snap, but he huffs. It's good-natured enough that one of them isn't about to attempt a murder, but there's frustration simmering under the surface.

“Oh, Logan!” Patton giggles, entirely sweetness and sunshine, and it's all too easy to believe, but Logan can see the mischievousness Patton takes delight in, visible in his body language. And true to form, with no warning he lowers his head but looks up at him sharply still, smirking maniacally. “I am never going to make things easy for you.”

Logan gulps.

“If you really want to, you're welcome in the kitchen.” Patton smiles serenely as if he didn't just do a complete 180, and then finally goes back into the kitchen. And Logan follows, because he's dug himself so deep in this hole he hasn't got a chance of climbing out.

=*=*=*=

They make a huge mess.

Which is weird, because they were only trying to make pancakes. Logan had expected to be baking in some manner, more than likely cookies- Patton had had a penchant for cake mix box cookies of all things, recently- but he'd surprised him.

“Pancakes make perfect.” Patton had uttered sagely when asked, but then elaborated. “I thought you might appreciate their simplicity, and it's simple enough you wouldn't get frustrated at it, but still challenging due to the flipping element. Also, they're just really nice.” Patton had shrugged.

It was strangely... thoughtful.

He was still pondering that over and wondering why there was a funny feeling in his stomach when he fumbled the flour, and it subsequently landed all. Over. Patton. Patton had stood there, shocked still into silence, face worryingly blank. He took an uncharacteristic aggressive step towards Logan, to which Logan began rambling apologies, before his collar was grabbed and-

Patton shoved a handful of flour into his face.

He bursts into a fit of heart-filled belly laughter, starting to go red from lack of breath, while it's Logan's turn to stand there like a statue, still trying to figure out exactly what happened. But then Logan surprises himself; he starts laughing too.

Then he shoves some flour down the back of Patton's shirt, and everything goes to hell. They end up with no flour, and therefore no pancakes, just light-hearted dizziness that ends with them leaning against a kitchen cupboard closer than they've ever sat before, horrendously out of breath.

Patton turns to face him, and in a quiet, panting voice says: “That was fun, right?”

In this moment, Logan is able to draw 3 very significant data points from this experiment.

1) It _was_ fun.

2) They are very close.

3) Patton's lips look very soft. When they're bathed in the artificial light like this, everything about him seems softer, except for his eyes; they only seem to be more blue, sharper in perfect clarity. But something in Logan seems drawn to his lips- not bitten like his and Virgil's, but fuller and... nice? It would be so very easy to just lean forward and-

Oh.

Oh no.

=*=*=*=

Ok so further data shows that he has apparently completely in love with Patton for a while now, which is news to him to say the least.

It appears Logan's been misinterpreting some of his emotions. This is not news to him; he's never been good at the feelings thing. He can't believe Roman and Virgil figured it out before he did though- they're going to be insufferable. More so than usual. He takes small comfort in that they thought he had been dating Patton, but since this is the crux of the issue, it's not comforting so much as it is something troubling to cling to and over analyse.

How many fights did he start that were him mistaking feelings of frustration with that of this apparent infatuation? The thought is dizzying. How long has this been going on?

So maybe his emotional awareness leaves little to be desired. It's embarrassing, even. But there is small solace in the fact there's still one thing he's absolutely certain of. Patton so clearly does not feel the same way.

For Logan to make any overtures of romantic gesture would be so out of character that Patton may try to hospitalize him. Even worse, he may not believe him, believing it to be a joke or a dare. So many things could go wrong, so many mistakes could be said. So much bad could happen and for what? For his feelings to not be reciprocated?

No. There's too much at risk.

It's settled. Logan would not act, not risk this tentative friendship and he would be content with it. He would. For Patton.

=*=*=*=

Patton flounces into the kitchen, happy and eager likes always.

Logan allows his eyes to rake up and down Patton's body appreciatively from behind his book, light blush hidden behind it. Small mercies, he supposes, plunging back into the words on the page. Before he can fully immerse himself however, Patton's voice drags him out again.

“Like what you see?” He asks, a sly smile painted on his face, arms crossed as he leans forward onto the counter, an eyebrow raised.

Well, as Virgil so eloquently puts it, _Fuck_.

“Uh- Well, I uh- ah umm you s-see- it's just that I ah; umm-” Logan stammers, and God he must be bright red, he _saw_ -

Patton giggles. “It's ok Logan, I _definitely_ don't mind. Besides, it's not as if I don't look at you too.” He's still there, smugly leant against the counter, his chin delicately leaning against his hand. He looks particularly amused, but also very self satisfied and there is not a single doubt in Logan's mind that Patton is enjoying this

“What?” Logan manages to say, several octaves higher than he would've liked but it's out there now. Words were managed, and that's an achievement.

“I'm fairly sure you heard me.” Patton shoots back, smiling that same infuriating smile, but traces of a blush were dusted over his rosy cheeks now. He looks a little more sheepish.

“I- I don't-”

“I'll level with you Logan.” Patton politely cuts in, ending his stammering. “I think you're cute, and you challenge me a lot but I enjoy it and I think you do too. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I pride myself on being pretty good at picking up on emotions.” He winks. Blows a kiss.

Patton begins to make his way towards Logan, and Logan pointedly looks down at his book before it is plucked out of his hands. He slowly looks up, slightly cowed, and there is Patton, staring down at him with an eyebrow raised. There's traces of humour in his gaze, but in a way that doesn't make Logan feel like the punchline.

“You're Logic.” Patton states, and somehow defying all possibilities, Logan is somehow more confused.

“Yes.” He says, because that is in fact true.

“So let's do this logically. I think I like you.” Patton says blatantly, so unlike what Logan would expect from him. On some levels, he had expected something more emotionally based from the _heart_. But then is this what not Logan has come to understand love _is_? Small compromises, care and compassion?

“O- oh-” He manages to muster. Yet another wildly wrong calculation he had made. Damn it he had a reputation to uphold. Patton smiles like he knows exactly what he's thinking, and he probably does. Loathe as Logan is to admit it, Patton is absolutely smarter than he likes to let people believe, easy as it is to forget that.

“Do you like me?” Patton asks, simply put. That really is the question, isn't it? Well, the scientific method doesn't lie, and neither, does it seemed, the heart.

“Yes.” He does not stutter. This much, at least, is clear. Something tells him it always had been, had only thought to look.

Patton smiles both dreamily and goofily, huffing softly, before tugging him closer by his collar. He allows Logan to stew in his blushes and and flustered sputtering for nothing more than a moment, giggling, before dragging him all the way down into a sweet kiss.

 _Ah_ , Logan thinks dizzily, as Patton deepens the lip lock eagerly, unabashedly smiling into it. _This is what all the fuss is about._

By all accounts, it's a simple kiss, but there's fire in Logan's bones, and there's a distinct feeling of something clicking into place. This wasn't inevitable. They made it happen, and they're better for it. It took some work, but Logan knows deep down he was just as quick to fall as Roman; he was just slow to realize. 

Because it's  _Patton_ . Who is his natural opposite, who was his friend first, who flirts easily and makes people happy easier. Who's stronger than any of them realize, their leader, smarter than he likes to act, and more cunning than he'd like to admit. Who's relentlessly sweet, and kind and caring, but still challenging, and a force to be reckoned with. Who acts more cute than pretty, and not to be narcissistic or anything but Logan thinks he's just plain beautiful;who's eyes sparkle a watery light blue, sharp as any knife, and who's hair is just a little bit fluffier and bouncier. Who's softer around the edges, where Logan is a sea of sharp angles. Who's perfect. Who's Patton.

God, he is so  _gone_ .

Finally pulling away, Logan thinks this is the perfect time to whisper “I've been in love with you for a while now.” Patton hooks his arms around the back of Logan's neck, smiles contemplatively and winks.

“I know. Me too.”

Roman and Virgil are going to  _freak._

**Author's Note:**

> if u enjoyed this maybe leave a kudos, comment, or have a look at some of my other stuff!  
> if u saw a typo IM BEGGING U TO TELL ME i didn't beta this i'm seen it too many times.  
> find me on tumblr and twitter @ace-corvid, and enjoy yelling at me to your hearts content. i know i will.


End file.
